Category: Entertainment

You Need a MoviePass Subscription for Summer

Moviepass is an incredible deal, if you don’t have one already you are really missing out. Yes, there are many arguably nonsensical reasons not to get one. Its too good to be true, I heard their investment company is running out of money,I don’t like that they know what movie im going to go see, I cant reserve my seat in advance, yes yes all barley valid points not to have a once in a life time opportunity for an all you can see movie theater pass.

What about the “They don’t make anymore good Movies any more” reason? Well we all know we are going to see Deadpool, Solo, Jurassic World 2 and Mission: Impossible – Fallout, But here are the Top 5 movies out this summer that you wouldn’t pay to go see in the theaters, but should probably go see in the theaters, and could see for free with your Moviepass, so go see them Movies..

1.Christopher Robin

Disney’s new take on Winnie the Pooh, titled simply Christopher Robin, from director Marc Forster. Ewan McGregor stars in this as a working-class family man in London. He re-encounters his childhood friend Pooh, who helps him to rediscover the joys of life. The main cast includes Hayley Atwell, Mark Gatiss, Adrian Scarborough, Roger Ashton-Griffiths, and Paul Chahidi. For the voices: Jim Cummings as Winnie-the-Pooh, Chris O’Dowd as Tigger, Toby Jones as Owl, Peter Capaldi as Rabbit, Sophie Okonedo as Kanga, and Nick Mohammed as Piglet. This teaser only introduces us to Pooh, with more characters to come. This comparison is going to upset a few of you, but this kind of reminds me of Hook – a grumpy guy revisits his past to discover happiness again.

2.Hereditary

A24 has revealed another acclaimed horror film , Hereditary, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. This movie focuses on the Charlie, the young daughter in the film, played by Milly Shapiro . From writer/director Ari Aster, Hereditary is about a close family that starts to unravel following the death of their reclusive grandmother. As an overwhelming terror takes over their household, their peaceful existence is ripped apart, forcing their mother to explore a darker realm in order to escape the unfortunate fate they’ve inherited.

Toni Collette stars, along with Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff, Ann Dowd, and Zachary Arthur. This film is incredible, and will be one of the big breakout horror hits this year, for sure. Don’t miss it when it comes to your local cinema – it’s not only terrifying to watch, but an extremely impressive film between performances and cinematography and script.

3.Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Just this trailer will make you tear up, then also remind you how important and wonderful goodness and happiness are. Focus Features has revealed a documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, made by Oscar-winning doc filmmaker Morgan Neville. This is more than just a profile of the late Fred Rogers, known best as Mr. Rogers – it’s a wonderful look at how a man tried to make the world better by figuring out how to speak to kids and teach them the importance of compassion and understanding and helpfulness.

This premiered to glowing reviews at the Sundance Film Festival this year. Someone wrote about it: “This is the documentary we all need right now. It’s a heartwarming, rousing film about how goodness makes an impact in society. It shows us that we can make a difference if we help someone else, if we support them, and believe in them, and remind them that they are perfect just they way they are.” You have to see it.

4.Tag

“You never know when someone’s going to pop up.” And… you’re it! Warner Bros has finally getting us excited for the summer comedy movie Tag, based on the true story of a massive game of Tag that a few guys have been playing every year since they were kids. The game is so competitive, so intense, that people will fly all around the country just to not be the one who is “it”. Yeah, it’s crazy.

The movie is about a small group of former classmates who organize the elaborate, annual game. With a rockin’ cast: Ed Helms, Jake Johnson, Annabelle Wallis, Rashida Jones, Isla Fisher, Leslie Bibb, Hannibal Buress, with Jon Hamm and Jeremy Renner. As fun as this looks, it is actually going to have anything to say, or just: hey, be as crazy as you can, because why not have fun. You know you will enjoy this film and you also know you wont spend $15 to find out how much… Moviepass

5.Alpha

An enemy will become an ally.” Sony Pictures’ epic new action thriller titled Alpha, formerly known as The Solutrean. This is the latest feature film from Albert Hughes, who last directed The Book of Eli in 2010, and it’s set during the last Ice Age – 20,000 years ago (kind of like Emmerich’s 10,000 BC). This epic adventure follows the story of Zeta, played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, a young man injured on a bison hunt left for dead. He befriends a lone wolf and together they figure out how to survive in this harsh environment. So basically it’s The Revenant meets 10,000 BC. The full cast includes Natassia Malthe, Leonor Varela, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Mercedes de la Zerda, and Jens Hultén. The Wolves look so cool, Im looking forward to this one…fo free!! Moviepass.

The Final MoviePass Thought

I know you know Im making sense. You are right now thinking, I would not have planned to see any of these in the theater but with a Moviepass subscription I will go check theses out. This right here is what is going to turn Moviepass to the next big Netflix. Im mean come on, one of these movies has John Hamm in it…and im going to see all of them for less then half of the big blockbusters I was going to see anyways. Happy summer at the movies for me.

May 16, 2018
NES Classic to Return to Store Shelves in June

The beloved Nintendo Entertainment System lives again, again! NES Classic Mini systems are slated to return to retailers June 29^th, according to Nintendo, and the company claims the systems will be available until the end of the year. This is fantastic news for retro gaming enthusiasts looking to relive some of the most iconic games of all time!

Tremendous Hit

Since its initial release in Fall 2016, the NES Classic has been a tremendous hit, selling out its initial run in record time. Following its astonishing success, Nintendo released the SNES Classic, a miniature version of the NES’s successor, which experienced similar sell-outs. Finally, this Summer, fans who missed the initial release window will have a chance to snag the tiny retro console for MSRP, which is $60. For those who held out for a re-release, or simply couldn’t find a reasonable price on the secondhand market, this news is great!

eBay Scalpers

Notably, the NES Classic and its successor were both heavily targeted by eBay scalpers, scam artists who buy collectibles in large quantities and resell them on eBay and similar sites for absurd markups. Nintendo clearly didn’t expect such a massive demand for the systems, and scalpers capitalized on the low supply by further bottlenecking it and preying on nostalgia. This time around, however, Nintendo promises a much higher supple of both NES and SNES Classic systems, ensuring retailers will have them stocked for MSRP. This is awesome for customers, and terrible for scalpers. Win-win!

NES Classic systems come preloaded with 30 iconic games, including Super Mario Bros, the Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Balloon Fight and more! You can grab one of your own and enjoy games from the 80’s that helped redefine the gaming industry when the system re-releases on June 29^th.

May 15, 2018
The Ten Dumbest Apps Ever

Not every app is a winner. Sometimes developers run out of money, time or patience and simply ship an unfinished product. Other times, devs set out to make a tremendously stupid app. In either event, you came here to see mind-numbingly stupid apps, so here goes: our list of the ten dumbest apps ever.

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The Little Application That Does Nothing

Photo Credit: Apple Store

This app gets bonus points for doing what it says it does. It actually does nothing. Seriously, it doesn’t do anything. Actively. It’s received updates, for some reason, and still does nothing. I’m actually sort of mad that this exists, but it’s also hilarious, so, that’s alright.

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May 14, 2018
Which Streaming App is Best?

There are many streaming services and apps vying for your money and your eyes. Which ones do we love? Which streaming app is our favorite for bingeing shows and for having movie night? Read on to find out!

Sling Orange

Sling is a cool idea. While more and more people are ditching cable (and you should, too, it’s an awful rip-off) Sling offers a much more affordable alternative to those who still want to watch Live TV. With an “a la cart” offering of channels, Sling addresses many of the issues we have with bloated cable packages.

The base package of Sling is $20 per month, which makes it the priciest streaming app on this list, but it offers a unique enough service to make it worth the money. Consider this one if you want a cable-style viewing experience without spending cable-style money.

Amazon Video

Once only available to Prime members, Amazon Video is now offered as a standalone streaming app. With a great streaming library and the ability to download shows and movies for offline viewing, Amazon video is a worthy contender with Netflix. Amazon Video is $8.99 per month. This means if you plan to stick with the service for more than a year, consider an Amazon Prime subscription. This will allow you to access all the other Prime benefits, too.

While Amazon has little in the way of original programming, it is currently the only place to watch Doctor Who online. That alone makes it worthy of consideration!

Hulu

For lovers of primetime TV who hate having to schedule around air times, Hulu is awesome. Hulu runs primetime shows the day after they air, making it an awesome cable replacement. Hulu has fantastic original programming, like the The Handmaid’s Tale, and also sports a great library of TV show and movies. If you love TV and the occasional movie, Hulu is definitely worth your attention. It’s tied for our favorite streaming app with Netflix.

Hulu also has two subscription tiers. The first is $7.99 per month but runs commercials during shows. The $11.99 tier runs no ads during shows, but will occasionally run a short spot before popular shows.

Netflix

The longtime champ of the streaming app market, Netflix now has a real rival in the form of Hulu. That said, Netflix has the best original programming of any streaming app, bar none. Stranger Things, Orange is the New Black, Travelers and the Netflix Marvel series all prove time and again the Netflix hosts some incredible programming. If you want a little of everything (movies, TV, original programs) you can’t go wrong with Netflix. Netflix has several subscription tiers.

The first is only $7.99 per month, but that only nets you one standard definition stream. For $10.99 per month you get two HD streams, and for $13.99 you get four 4K streams. These are reasonable when compared to the competition, but the more desirable HD streams are somewhat pricey.

May 14, 2018
The Top Ten Films About Artificial Intelligence

With Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant becoming more lifelike and responsive with each update, it’s growing more and more likely that we will soon see fully-fledged artificial intelligence that rivals that of humans. While the future is looking brighter for AI in the real world, pop culture has taught us that most AI constructs will inevitably run amok and try to kill all humans! With that in mind, let’s run down our list of our top ten favorite films about artificial intelligence!

Tron

Photo Credit: Moviefone

The 80’s classic was mind-blowing when it released. Casual moviegoers, unfamiliar with abstractions such as cyberspace and digitization, were treated to a visually stunning and downright puzzling film when they first saw Tron. Now regarded as a cult classic, and having garnered a sequel and animated series, Tron makes for a fantastic look back at an early visualization of a digital space.

Starring Jeff Bridges as Flynn, a hacker and programmer, the nerd-tastic tale has him being pulled into the world of the arcade game he has created to do battle with the evil, rampaging Master Control Program. The story is quaint and cheesy today, but audiences at the time generally found the plot “incoherent” and hard to follow. Oh, how times have changed!

I, Robot

Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox

Released in 2004, this gritty, noir-style action film is loosely based on the Asimov compilation of the same name. Will Smith stars as Del Spooner, a detective investigating a murder he blames on a robot, despite such an act being strictly forbidden by all robots’ programming.

A fantastic meditation on what it means to be human, and what makes something alive, I, Robot is the rare action movie that makes the viewer actually think in between bombastic shootouts. Will Smith’s Spooner is equal parts engaging and frustrating, as his anti-robot bias is affirmed and challenged in equal measure by the film’s plot.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Photo Credit: YouTube

While the plot may be somewhat derivative and the action a bit too fast-paced for deep meditations on the dangers of unchecked AI development, the second Avengers film does an excellent job of entertaining. Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America and the rest of the Avengers crew have to throw down with Ultron, an AI construct that Tony Stark and Bruce Banner accidentally create while experimenting with the mystical Mind Stone.

Ultron decides to protect humanity from itself and creates its own vibranium body and an army of drones that do his bidding. The film ultimately pits the Avengers and their new artificial life form friend Vision against Ultron and his robo-soldiers in a spectacular final battle.

Ex Machina

Photo Credit: Nerdist

The classic tale of scientist creating a synthetic companion modeled after a human female is a pretty well-established trope. Metropolis and Weird Science, to name a few, explore this narrative. In Ex Machina, protagonist Caleb is brought in by his friend Nathan to administer a Turing test to Nathan’s AI Ava. Ava is a humanoid robot with highly advanced programming, and Caleb soon finds himself caught in a power struggle between Nathan and Ava.

The uneasy chemistry between human and machine is the focus here and is all too familiar to viewers who commonly interact with rudimentary artificial intelligence. Ava’s intentions are mysterious, her origins and dubious and her methods are worrisome: she represents all of humanity’s anxieties about artificial intelligence.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence

Photo Credit: Time Out

A sci-fi take on Pinocchio, Spielberg’s sprawling technological opus is a treat for the eyes, if a little long in the runtime. With superb performances by Jude Law and Haley Joel Osment, A.I. juggles its myriad of ideas regarding morality and mortality with respectable deft. The film tells a touching story of a robotic child programmed to love unconditionally, and his journey to find a place he can call home.

The film has a surprising amount of pathos for a story that almost exclusively follows artificial life forms. A unique take on an artificial intelligence-centered tale, the robots aren’t depicted as the antagonists, but instead, time and circumstance keep our characters from their goals.

Terminator

Photo Credit: Mental Floss

What if the artificial intelligence only wants to terminate you? I’d be surprised if you haven’t heard of this one. At the very least, you’ve probably heard someone doing a poor Arnold impersonation of one of his iconic lines. Terminator is the rare absurd sci-fi action movie that crosses over into the mainstream. Between the mechanical sheen and menace of the titular antagonist and the over-the-top, cheesy action sequences, Terminator oozes “80’s action flick,” wearing that badge proudly for all to see.

The plot revolves around some pretty absurd sci-fi tropes: in the future, machines, led by a system called SkyNet, have taken over the world. The only hope for humanity is John Connor, a resistance fighter who leads the scattered human enclave. In order to secure victory, SkyNet sends an advanced robotic assassin back in time to kill Connor before he becomes the savior of humanity. A ton of ridiculous action set-pieces in then-modern America ensue.

The Matrix

Photo Credit: Letterboxd

Another very well-known action film with AI at its center, the Matrix is an interesting tale of perception, reality and questioning the status quo. When Thomas Anderson, also known under his alias Neo, discovers that his reality is actually a simulation, he joins a resistance against the machines who rule over his world. As another take on the “evil A.I. overlords” story, the Matrix uses surprisingly deep philosophical ideas to power its action and shootouts.

Highly influential upon release for its use of slow-motion special effects and “bullet time” whirling camera techniques, as well as its intriguing premise. The Matrix is largely considered to be a turning point for Hollywood blockbusters.

Her

Photo Credit: Roger Ebert

Featuring excellent voice work from Scarlett Johansson, Heris a surprisingly sweet romance film about an AI and her human operator who fall in love. The quasi-Romeo and Juliet tale is effective at bringing about genuine emotional depth by imbuing the titular AI, Samantha, with very human desires and behavior.

The film paints a fascinating picture of human emotional complexity conflicting with computerized algorithms. Protagonist Theodore, who is a sensitive and soft man, finds himself unable to cope when he discovers Samantha’s functions are also dating thousands of other operators and AI constructs. The near-limitless potential of Samantha’s intelligence allows her to grow exponentially, and experience far more than Theodore could ever imagine.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Photo Credit: Den of Geek

The first time the crew of the Starship Enterprisewere seen on the silver screen, they did battle with a mysterious gas cloud known as V’Ger. While the film is somewhat divisive among fans, it makes this list for its fascinating antagonist. V’Ger, who turns out to be a sentient ship, is on a mission to obtain all the information in the universe and is tearing through reality to do so. When Commander Spock finally manages to mind meld with the A.I., he learns that it was originally the Voyager 6 probe, upgraded and given new purpose by a race of sentient machines.

Blade Runner

Photo Credit: Mashable

The cream of the crop when it comes to entertaining films about artificial intelligence, Blade Runner is a weighty, cerebral noir film. Main character Rick Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, works to untangle a deep conspiracy involving the shadowy Tyrell Corporation and its lifelike robots. These robots, called Replicants, are able to near-perfectly mimic human emotions and responses. Deckard, as a “blade runner,” is specialized in hunting and “decommissioning” rogue replicants.

Sporting unique pacing and unconventional story structure, Blade Runneris one of the very best cyberpunk films ever made. If you haven’t seen it, you really should! It also received a sequel in the form of Blade Runner 2049, a worthy successor to the original and a bit more accessible to modern audiences.

May 11, 2018
Hottest Nintendo Switch Games of 2018

With Summer and E3 rapidly approaching, you’re surely looking for something new to play on your Switch. While the release of Super Smash Bros, Fire Emblem and Pokemon are still a little way off, there’s no need to worry: there’s still a ton of cool games to check out on your Switch! Today we’re rounding up our favorite Switch titles of 2018 so far!

Bayonetta 2

A port of the Wii U hit, Bayonetta 2 is available as a standalone digital release, or as a physical release that comes included with a copy of the first game. Bayonetta is a must-have for fans of fast-paced, frenetic action.

With a main character who oozes style and dispatches angels and demons without breaking a sweat, Bayonetta follows in the footsteps of greats like Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden. If you missed this one on Wii U, or if you just want another crack at the addictive action on the go, you should check out the Switch version!

Kirby Star Allies

Everyone’s favorite pink puffball is back on the Switch! While Star Allies doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it is still an excellent addition to Kirby’s impressive library of games. Sporting silky-smooth drop-in drop-out couch co-op and the triumphant return of power combinations, this is a game built with friends in mind.

Whether you’re all on the couch in the living room or huddled around the console in tabletop mode, Star Allies makes for a great centerpiece to an afternoon hanging out with buddies. If you’ve enjoyed Kirby’s previous 2D platformers, you’re going to find a lot to love in this beautiful HD update to the classic formula.

Celeste

Okay, this one isn’t Switch exclusive, but it really might as well be. A charming (and burtally difficult) 16-bit platformer, Celeste tells the tale a young girl trying to climb a mountain. The game has pitch-perfect controls, witty writing, likable characters and cool retro graphics. While the game’s soaring difficulty curve might put some off, the game offers an assist mode to help players who are struggling.

However, the game’s story directly addresses how personal growth occurs when we challenge ourselves to reach new heights. This game is a showcase of how to marry game mechanics with story: with each level you beat, you get that much closer to scaling the mountain. But, the more you push, the harder it gets. Perseverance, determination, and some tight platforming skills are required to reach the top.

Our Favorite Switch Game Right Now: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Another port of a fantastic Wii U game, this sequel to the 2006 revival of Donkey Kong Country deserves your attention. If you liked the originals back on the SNES, or their Game Boy Advance remakes, you should give this game a shot. Combining the old-school philosophy of level design and world building, DKC:TF consistently challenges the player to up their game.

With a pitch-perfect difficulty curve that keeps you learning new ways to challenge yourself and superb visuals and music, this entry in the storied series deserves your attention. On the Switch it gains a new level of portability over its original incarnation, which adds even more reason to check out this version.

May 11, 2018
Tech Throwback: iMac 20th anniversary
I like to take a look at where I’ve been to evaluate where Im going. Technology is cyclical after all… wait no its not. That said I still like all the feels that come rushing back like a flood of nostalgia every time I get my hand on the tech I grew up with. Im going to go back periodically and take a looking at the stuff that used to blow our hair back and get our minds rolling. Some of these device blew up and changed the world, some where ahead of their time and some just fell flat and became colossal failures. Today we are going to talk about the original iMac on its 20th anniversary

Its been twenty whole years since Steve Jobs introduced iMac on May 6th, 1998. It was a truly ambitious new Mac, with a very specific Internet access ease-ability. It not only redefined the design and styling of tech products but charted a strategic course that would take Apple from being a that one PC maker from the 80s to the world’s most valuable company. This computer set the path for apple to become more valuable then all but 17 countries in the world. Most importantly, iMac had an impact because it courageously made bold decisions that conventional thinking assumed to be wrong. The iMac, take aim at a broader market of individuals who wanted a practical, easy way to get on the Internet. What can you say about Steve Jobs that hasn’t already been said, the man just got us.

Before unveiling the new iMac, Jobs outlined how it would be different. For starters, Apple was using a modern 233MHz G3 processor, the same chip it had used in its entry-level Pro Power Mac G3 just six months prior at a price $300 higher. That new generation Power PC chip boasted a performance edge “up to twice as fast” as Intel’s Pentium II processors at similar clock speeds. I had forgotten about the G3 processors, but this gives me a lot of anticipatory feelings for the next line of iMacs that apple is set to make there own chips again for starting next year.

At a time when PCs generally needed an external modem to connect to the Internet over phone lines, the new iMac built in both its relatively fast modem (making it easy to connect by only plugging in a phone cord) and 100Mb Ethernet.USB ports had already appeared on PCs, but it generally sat unused because device makers kept building slightly cheaper products using RS-232 serial ports, PS/2 cables for keyboards and mice and Centronics Parallel ports on printers and disks. The new iMac also included IrDA, a way to beam (like a TV remote) data using invisible light. It wasn’t nearly as fast as the wireless technology Apple would roll out in the future, including Bluetooth and WiFi, but it offered an early way to transmit photos and other basic data without requiring cables at all.

Quick Spec Look
- Screen Size 15 inches
- Processor 0.35 GHz PowerPC G3
- RAM 32 MB
- Hard Drive 20 GB
- Graphics Coprocessor ATI Rage 128 Ultra
The Final Thought

It’s hard to overstate the importance of the iMac G3. The iMac G3 ushered Apple in to the future, and on its translucent back, Steve Jobs rebuilt the company. It was the end of the beige computer and everything we thought computers had to be. The i in iMac stood for 5 things, internet, individual, instruct, inform, and inspire, it most certainly did all off those things for the last 20 years.
May 9, 2018
Nintendo Unveils Details of Switch Online Service

After multiple delays and rampant speculation, Nintendo has finally announced details of their paid online service for Switch. Originally slated for a Fall 2017 release, the service will finally launch this Fall. Priced at $20 per year, the service will allow users to browse and play a select library of NES games with new online functionality.

The Games

Nintendo is bringing classic NES titles the Legend of Zelda, Balloon Fight, Dr. Mario and Super Mario Bros. 3, Donkey Kong, Ice Climber, Mario Bros., Soccer, Super Mario Bros. and Tennis to the service, with more to follow. This is in contrast to Nintendo’s previous Virtual Console branding, which Nintendo says won’t be returning to Switch. This Netflix-like approach resembles game-streaming services and could represent a new, modern direction for Nintendo.

Interestingly, Nintendo promises online play for many of these NES classics, but has given no further details. One could only hope for simultaneous co-op in Super Mario Bros 3, or epic matches of Tennis! This is clearly Nintendo playing to their deep well of classic games in order to set themselves apart from their competition.

Cloud Saves

This service will also (finally) allow users to make cloud back-ups of their game saves, a feature that has been standard for Nintendo’s competition for years. Many players have noted that the lack of cloud saves led to them losing all of their save data when their console was lost or damaged. The inclusion of cloud saves will certainly lead to sighs of relief from Switch fans.

Online Play

The online service is also necessary to play games online, of course, so fans of Mario Kart 8, Splatoon 2 and Super Smash Bros. will have to shell out if they want to play those games main modes. Thankfully the service is significantly less expensive than Sony and Microsoft’s offerings, positioning Nintendo as a more family-conscious company yet again.

Speaking of families, the online service will also allow a $35 subscription that allows one account to share online features to the other accounts on the Switch. The $35 plan would be ideal for families who all play games from the same Switch.

What Else?

This is a somewhat bare-bones announcement, and leaves room for speculation. Certainly, Nintendo will have more to say about this service, which launches this fall, by E3 this summer. Many fans are hoping for news of digital versions of Game Boy and Super Nintendo games. many others are eager to see if Nintendo will incorporate voice chat in a form other than their much-maligned Nintendo Online App.

May 9, 2018
God of War is the Fastest Selling PS4 Game of All Time

He’s Back, Baby

It took Kratos five whole years to star in another video game, but it only took him three days to sell 3.1 million copies of his new game. Released on April 20^th, God of War is the first game in the series set after the story of 2010’s God of War III. The game’s blistering sales pace outstrips other PlayStation mainstay Uncharted: the fourth Uncharted sold 2.7 million units in its first week, holding the previous record for fastest-selling PlayStation 4 game.

Return to Form

These sales numbers are in stark contrast to a decade or more of game publishers moving further and further from the massive, triple-A style single-player games in favor of multiplayer experiences and ill-conceived always-online features. Sales of this magnitude represent a bit of a paradigm shift for large game studios, showing an increase in focus on huge production values and immersive worlds being built for single-player adventures.

New Land, Same God Slayer

The newest God of War sees the series move on to a new setting, pitting Kratos against all manner of Norse mythological beasts, instead of the Greek gods and monsters he once fought. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, you should. The game is a return to form for single-player adventure, following on the heels of other PS4 heavy-hitters like Horizon: Zero Dawn and Nier: Automata. Featuring intense, edge-of-your seat combat, over-the-top action set pieces and a genuinely engrossing and affecting story, God of War has more than earned its spot at the top of the PS4 roost.

May 7, 2018
The Best Retro USB Controllers

Retro is back in a big way, and nothing shows that more than the popularity of retro re-releases like the SNES and NES Classic consoles, the presence of game anthologies on Steam, and RetroPie custom gaming rigs. If you’re a retro enthusiast, chances are you’re looking for the best USB controller to relive some of those classic games. Well, look no further, because we’ve found four awesome USB controllers that you’re going to love!

Retrolink N64-Style Controller

While the N64 controller itself is somewhat awkward and more than a little difficult to use with most games, if you plan on playing N64 games via emulation, the Retrolink is great. The controller has a great make, with satisfying, clicky buttons and good feedback, but is hindered by the very thing it is: it’s shaped and laid out just like an N64 controller, for better or worse. This controller has little appeal across a wide library of retro games, but if you’re looking to play Ocarina of Time, or Mario 64, and want an authentic experience, then the Retrolink is for you! The Retrolink can be picked up on Amazon for around $15, making it a very affordable option for those seeking to emulate via RetroPie rigs.

Hyperkin Genesis Controller

For those who grew up loving the little blue hedgehog over the mustachioed plumber, the boomerang-shaped Genesis controller design holds a special place in their hearts. This controller features the iconic glossy black look and boomerang shape of the controller that inspired it and sports the full six face buttons. If you’re absolutely diehard about Sega and want to play nothing but Genesis titles on your RetroPie or through Steam, then this controller will feel right at home in your hands. However, for more general retro gaming, I still have to recommend the Buffalo Classic Gamepad, as the classic SNES design is tried-and-true, and just feels more natural on so many retro games. However, if your nostalgia is for the forgotten glory days of Sega, you won’t be disappointed by the Hyperkin.

8BitDo SNES30 Pro Wireless Controller

8BitDo’s SNES30 Pro is an odd-looking gamepad at first, as it appears, at first, much like the North American SNES controller, but it also sports two analog sticks, much like Sony’s Dualshock controller. The SNES30 Pro is wireless, using Bluetooth to connect, which certainly adds to the controller’s cost: it’s around $50 from Amazon. It’s also a bit on the small side for being a dual-analog controller, measuring nearly the same as the Buffalo Classic. This can be a problem during extended play periods when using the analog sticks, as those with larger hands will likely find their hands cramping during play. However, if you plan on playing some 3D retro games, or you don’t mind the small size, this controller is an excellent choice!

Buffalo Classic USB Gamepad

Our pick for best retro gamepad! Sporting a look straight out of the early 90’s, this game pad is a pretty faithful clone of the SNES classic dog-bone style controller design. The make on this controller is exceptional, the buttons have great resilience and action, and the D-Pad clicks and reacts just like the fantastic SNES original. You can snag this beauty on Amazon for $20, and I couldn’t recommend it more for retro 2D gaming. However, the lack of analog sticks means this controller is nearly unusable for 3D games and is best used on SNES and Genesis-era titles. However, that’s less bug than feature, and for games from this era, you won’t find a better controller.

Looking for an Easy Way to Make Your Own Emulator?

Check out our article on the best Raspberry Pi starter kits! Within, you’ll find our picks for the best kits to use when starting your own Raspberry Pi project, so you can get started making your own retro gaming rig!

May 7, 2018